Heretofore, reinforced rubber articles such as tires having a cut or opening therein have been repaired generally by filling the cut with rubber. Such a repair required a source of heat to cure the rubber and the formed repair usually had a short life. If the opening extended through some of the cords or through the entire tire, a patch was generally used. That is, an uncured rubber compound was first added to the hole and then cured with heat. Next, the patch area, for example the inside of the tire, was buffed. An uncured patch was then positioned and cured with heat. This repair route was not only long and tedious, but required the utilization of heat, usually a tire mold, and the like. Thus, except for a chemical cure patch, an on-the-spot or in-situ repair could not be made, nor could repair be made at an ambient temperature. Moreover, the chemical patch method generally resulted in low or poor adhesion.
Considering the prior art, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,755,261 to VanGulick; 3,888,831 to Kogon; 3,834,934 to Broisman, 3,644,256 also to Broisman; and 3,718,587 to Bhakuni relate to amine curable curing agents, amine curable polymers, or R-F-L type adhesives. However, these patents lack any suggestion of applicants' treating agent or repair of an elastomer article utilizing an amine curable polymer or prepolymer having a rubber filler therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,794 to DeSantis relates to a moisture-curable polyurethane sealant primer system, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,283 to Den Otter relates to flame retardants utilized in cyanuric acid derivatives. Hughson Chemical Division, Lord Corporation, Product No. TS-2682-71 relates to a surface primer for elastomeric substances utilizing a proprietary compound thought to be mono- or dichloroisocyanuric acid. An article entitled "Room Temperature Vulcanizing Adhesive Based on Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Terpolymer," Cantor, Uniroyal, Paper No. 18 presented to the Division of Rubber Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, Denver, Colo., Oct. 10, 1973, relates to various oxidants which effect ambient temperature cures of EPDM.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,219 to Oldam relates to a polyurethane paint which is applied to vulcanized rubbers. British Pat. No. 1,352,645 relates to a polyurethane paint which is applied to vulcanized rubbers.
British Pat. No. 1,352,645 relates to N-halogen sulphonamide treating agents which halogenize surfaces of synthetic and/or natural rubbers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,522 to Becker relates to a polyurethane adhesive, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,530 to Cutts relates to triazoline diones which are utilized in lieu of chlorinated or halogenated donors for treating elastomeric surfaces to improve adhesion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,454 to Utsunomiya relates to a method of attaching connecting parts of an offshore structure wherein a liquid rubber is applied over a treating solution which may contain a halogen molecule. As such, this reference lacks applicants' treating agent, an elastomer article having a patch thereon, as well as an amine curable polymer or prepolymer having a rubber filler therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,378 to Pearson relates to a cured rubber tire having a specific polyurethane therein and to a chlorine water treatment. Hence, Pearson also fails to teach or suggest applicants' recited treating agent as well as patched article.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,255 to Blaskjiewicz relates to the adhesion of a polyurethane to an EPDM surface utilizing various adhesives. However, Blaskjiewicz does not use his treating agent to form a treating layer and utilizes elevated temperatures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,970 to Honda does not disclose amine curable resins or an ambient temperature cure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,852 to Gomberg relates only to the use of a cyanoacrylate adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,704 to Williams relates to applying tire tread to a tire. This patent lacks any suggestion of applicants' treating agent or the repair of a tire aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,138 to Hausch fails to disclose a cured rubber patch in repairing a rubber article.
One prior art method of repairing a tire relates to the utilization of a proprietary compound, thought to be a mixture of rubber and which is applied to the aperture and then cured. In general, very poor adhesion results and heat is required.